Enjoy an Exclusive invite to play the Surrey Sandbelt
Playing golf in the famous Surrey Sandbelt is the stuff that dreams are made of. Thanks to the Exclusive Collection, golfers can now experience the ultimate stay-and-play break, combining world-class golf venues with the finest five-star accommodation and luxury.
Opportunities to play Top 100 ranked courses don’t come along often, but thanks to Exclusive Collection properties, golfers can tick off a number of these world-famous courses on the outskirts of London, whilst staying somewhere equally memorable.
Pennyhill Park in Bagshot is one of Surrey’s most luxurious spa and hotel retreats, renowned for giving guests the opportunity to indulge in the best and feel at their best with the finest of hotel and lifestyle facilities.
The 19th century country house is set within 120 acres of beautiful parkland, yet conveniently close to London, and offers the ultimate reset button for those looking to unwind between days of golf at the stunning courses in the area.
A day doing battle on a heathland classic means that you’re guaranteed a good night’s sleep, especially when you stay at Pennyhill Park, where each of the 124 rooms boast supreme levels of comfort, from the Cosy Rooms right the way up to the Signature Suites. Leaving that bed for an early tee time won’t be easy, even if you are due to tee it up somewhere special after a delicious breakfast.
Any aches and pains that you may have felt on the course will be soothed in the award-winning spa, one of the biggest in the country which has more than 20 different relaxing and revitalising experiences to help with that stiff back of yours.
Pennyhill Park is also something of a culinary oasis, with Latymer, awarded a Michelin star and 5 AA Rosettes, the place to book for those who enjoy fine dining, and the equally popular Hillfield, a restaurant that celebrates and showcases the very best of Surrey’s finest produce, with a farm-to-fork ethos. Guests can also enjoy a tasty treat or tipple whilst relaxing poolside – not a bad spot to talk over your round and look ahead to your next 18 holes.
If Sunningdale’s Old Course is on your itinerary, you’re in for a treat. This course delivers a classic test of heathland golf and although it’s easy to be intimated by the heather-lined fairways, the walk up the final hole towards the clubhouse and iconic old oak tree will bring a smile to your face even if this wonderful layout has got the better of you. That the New Course also makes the top 10 of many a UK Top 100 ranking tells you how special a 36-hole venue it is.
The same can be said of Walton Heath and The Berkshire, two more clubs that are steeped in history and boast 36 spectacular holes. “Wonderfully pure” is how Jack Nicklaus once described Walton Heath, while Herbert Fowler’s Red and Blue courses at The Berkshire, which wind their way through pine and heather, are simply stunning.
Other courses nearby include West Hill, Swinley Forest, St George’s Hill, Worplesdon and Woking. It’s a very special corner of the country – golfing paradise that attracts players from all over the world.
Pennyhill Park provides the perfect base, and so too does Royal Berkshire – a hotel known as a home from home. To borrow a phrase commonly used in golf, this delightful hotel, which is also an Exclusive Collection property, is something of a hidden gem.
Located near Ascot, it’s a popular retreat amongst racegoers as well as golfers – a fine place for guests to revel in the property’s period features with a favourite tipple, whilst discussing the day’s winners and losers (or birdies and bogeys).
Exclusive Collection has partnered with a number of prestigious clubs in the Surrey Sandbelt area to create several enticing itineraries. Tailor-made to suit each golf group, Exclusive Collection can connect you with the best golf courses in the area and help source suitable tee times, subject to availability.
An example package, including a three-night stay at Royal Berkshire with rounds of golf at Sunningdale, The Berkshire and Walton Heath, starts from £1,517 per person in a standard room with bed and breakfast. Should you be looking to venture slightly further afield – perhaps you want to really get away from the hustle and bustle of the city – a stay-and-play at The Manor House Golf Club, also under the Exclusive Collection umbrella, is highly recommended.
Nestled amongst 365 acres of Cotswold countryside, bordering Castle Combe, one of the UK’s prettiest villages, the championship course at The Manor House is a mature layout taking golf to another level that many regard as the best in Wiltshire.
It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a weekend away, with numerous packages available for guests including stays in the sumptuous 14th century, five-star hotel or the cosy village pub. Guests can also make their stay even more memorable by booking a table at the Michelin starred Bybrook restaurant, where the tasting menu might just eclipse that birdie you made on 18.
For more information, visit www.exclusive.co.uk/heathland-golf-breaks/